Thread: A-arms, spring problem

Tweet

I assembled most of the front suspension on my truck today. I have big block springs in it, and I am using a chain through the shock towers and lower arm to hold it, rather than using the shock and leaving it in tension for a couple months.
The problem is the strong spring has extended the susp. so far that the upper ball joint is basically contacting the spring, keeping it from going any further. I tried putting a jack under the lower arm (I sat the engine on to give it some weight), and it didn't compress at all, it just raised the vehicle. I had an iron bb with iron heads sitting on the front.
All I wanted to do was get the thing compressed enough to get the spring a little straighter, and get the ball joint off it.
Question is, if I leave it pressing on that ball joint for a long time, will it hurt it??
Attached is a pic of what is going on.

For setup purposes, and until final assembly I don't put in the spring at all, just use a piece of allthread, 1/2", weld a piece of tubing or flat stock to match whatever your lower shock mount type is, and two nuts up top on either side of the hat. I set it with the lower arms parallel to the ground, which is what it should be at final ride height.

As another comment, you may have too much spring. Most people think that they need the heaviest ford spring because of engine weight, but they forget that in the MII/Pinto the engine was directly over the front crossmember, but in most rod applications the engine is farther back thus putting less load on the front suspension than imagined.

Well, I guess this is another example of doing something that I later learn I shouldn't have done.
The only reason I have bb springs in there is because the guy I bought them from recommended it. (He is around 70 and has been building cars for a long time, plus he wasn't making any more money selling me bb springs as appose to sb)
I certainly have no experience, so I just bought what he recommended.
Maybe they will work out ok, I ended up having to put my motor mounts about 2 inches back from the centerline of the front susp, so most of the weight should be pretty far forward.
Regardless, they're already in and I certainly don't want to disassemble them again, so I think I'm stuck with this.

Originally posted by tcodi
Regardless, they're already in and I certainly don't want to disassemble them again, so I think I'm stuck with this.

They may work, but keep in mind that once the car is loaded (all components and fluids) at static the lower control arms need to be parallel with the ground for the geometry to work right. You may be removing them again just to accomplish that. You can adjust height by cutting the springs up to one full coil (use a chop saw, not heat) without taking out too much travel.

I guess I'll just wait till I have most of the front together to assess whether or not they have to be cut.
thanks

The bolts that attach the upper arms to the spring hats are in

Sorry. Pushed the wrong button before I was done. The bolts are in upside down. They go in from the bottom of the spring hats with the nuts on top of the a arms.

I do not know what you mean by big blk springs. Must II came w/4,6 & 8(302)cyl springs. for a small blk motor, 4 cyl Must II springs work well If your car is the wt of a average streetrod. You might have to cut a 1/2 to 1 coil off the spring.

For a big blk motor usually 6 cyl Must II work well again you will probably have to cut 1/2 to 1 coill off the spring.

You might want to contact the mfg of your cross member.

Even w/4 cyl springs the wt. of the motor will not start the compression of the springs. You need several big boys to stand on the front of the frame in addition to the wt. of the motor.

Last-I have never installed a Must II IFS w/o cutting at least 1/2 a coil. Most of these cars have been 31 to 34 Fords. With all the wt. on the car your car will not sit at final ride ht. untill you get at least 100 miles on it.

welp, I guess I have to get out the spring compressor again. I hate using those things, they are such a pain.
It looks like I will need to cut just about a whole coil out of those suckers.

If you used the V-8 springs, cutting a coil may not do you any good. The primary problem is probably spring rate, not spring length. I'll bet whoever supplied your MII setup has some experience on what springs to use. Give them a call.

that's the thing, the guy recommeded I use these springs.
Either way, after chewing up the nice powder coat finish with that darn compressor, I doubt anyone would exchange them now.
I think I'll at least try cutting them first, and see if I can't get the ride height close to correct.
Then I guess if they're too stiff once I get it on the road I'll replace them.
How much would you guys recommed cutting off to start?
Half a coil? It looks like a full coil should get that lower A arm just shy of parallel with the ground, but that may take me too far. . . .and then I'm stuck.

Also, bear in mind that if you cut a coil, the springs get stiffer.

yeah, I know they get stiffer as you eliminate active coils.

I just talked to the guys I bought the stuff from. He insists that everything will be way out of whack until the entire front end is assembled, and that they will settle after the first 100 miles. Since I have no clue, I'm just gonna remove them for now and wait to re-install them till the car is ready to drive. If they settle and work out, great. . .if they don't or are too stiff, I'll replace them.
For now I'll use the all thread approach just to keep it set up.
thanks everyone for the input.

probably, I don't remember though.
I'm gonna call him back and find out though.
Before I post what the rate is, what would you estimate
it should be for an iron bb with iron heads.

When I first assembeled my Heidts stuff with stock (4cyl) M2 springs it looked exactly like the pic at the begining of this thread. I called Heidt and they said it was correct! I cut one coil off and now have control arms and tie rods parallel with the pavement, and still have a pretty good/stiff feel when I jump up and down on the frame with the mill in place.